The public watch-group Bunge La Mwanachi elections will finally be held in October, this following over four years of unclear leadership in the outspoken group.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) are at advanced stages of preparing a team that is set to conduct the elections which will be held at the end of October.
The last Bunge la Mwanachi elections which were supposed to be held in August 2021 were botched over external interference from national political parties as factions allied to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the Jubilee government at the time went on to declare themselves the valid leaders of the movement.
According to Bunge la Mwananchi traditions, elections are held after two years but this has not happened in four years due to the interference
“It was very unfortunate for the Kenyan political parties to infringe in the affairs of our beloved movement’s elections in August 2021 to an extent we have never recovered up to date. The government and opposition made sure there was no election so that they can use some of our top leaders to advance their political agenda,” a section of Bunge la Mwananchi members said.
In the run up to the August 2021 Bunge La Mwananchi elections, the Kenyan political parties took sides in the process of the movement and infiltrated the elections body a move that the presidential candidates in a confused mode.
Outspoken Bunge La Mwananchi defacto leader Calvin Okoth famously referred to as Gaucho allegedly took advantage of the circus to swear himself as Bunge la Mwananchi president in a move that was aimed as endearing himself to ODM. The move helped Gaucho land an ODM ticket to vie for the Landmawe ward MCA seat at the 2022 general elections.
Other aspirants for the president seat of the Bunge La Mwananchi also followed suit with Patrick Githinji alias Kamotho and Hassaneli Mohamed alias Moha among several others swearing themselves as president.
Gaucho has for the last several years been the face of Bunge la Mwananchi all along using the movement for selfish political gain.
The members who spoke to our team called for patience as the IEBC moves in to hold credible elections and restore the lost glory of the Bunge La Mwananchi.
“All those who have sworn in themselves just wanted to use the movement as a stepping stone to other personal interests and because the 2021 elections were not held, all those calling themselves president are just a nullity. Bunge has no president at the moment and we shall only have a substantive president after IEBC conducts elections in October,” they said.
The movement, supposed to be a public watchdog currently lacks a clear leadership and the impetus to champion for the common mwananchi. Amidst the leadership crisis Gaucho has emerged as the defacto leader in the process largely associating Bunge la Mwananchi with the ODM party. Gaucho was actively involved in Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga’s Presidential campaigns during the 2022 general elections.
The outgoing self declared and vocal leader Gaucho is expected to face off with several other aspirants as the members look to elect a new set of leaders.
